Face Down
by Selene69
Summary: Songfic/Requestfic I could have told you last year exactly who Richie is. Richie is my best friend, the one guy I’d give everything up for.


Disclaimer: I do not own Static Shock or Face Down by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus.

Song: Face Down - The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

Pairing: Virgil x Richie x Hotstreak

A/n: This is a request fic, which I do take, for Foggwolf. It's also a songfic if you have yet to figure that out. Hotstreak is the abuser in this one, and Richie is our victim. I've always wanted to do a fic for this song, but all the pairings I had like were taken. So to be able to do this song and a pairing I love is fun. Thank you for clicking on this story. (bow)

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I could have told you last year exactly who Richie is. Richie is my best friend, the one guy I'd give everything up for. Richie is a super genius, and he fights beside me as Gear. I always knew that Richie and I were meant to be together, after all, I didn't let just anyone be my friend. After some time, a few fights, way to many movies, and endless talks we were better friends then ever. All of this was true up until six months ago, when Richie told me the two biggest secrets he's ever kept from me. And these secrets were covered in patches of black, purple, blue, green and yellow.

__

Hey, girl, you know you drive me crazy  
one look puts the rhythm in my hand.  
Still I'll never understand why you hang around  
I see what's going down.

"Hey, Virg." I turned to see him standing in an odd manner. His hands in his hoody pocket and his face turned down to the floor. I couldn't help the gentle motion that happened next. I'd gently lifted up his chin and stared into those deep pools of brown, one of the few things that we had in common, "Sorry, I missed your call earlier. I was a little… distracted by something."

I grinned thinking this was one of those 'apology' moments, "What are we building today? The cure for Aids?" when he tensed I had to take an interest in what was wrong. Grabbing his arm, I dragged him from the store only to stop and glare. Hotstreak. The older boy smirked at me and looked at Richie. I glanced at Richie, I was lost and confused, "Rich?" he looked up, but barely.

"I was gonna tell you sooner… I just lost track of a few things." talk about lost. If he was being cryptic, he was the god of it at this point.

Hotstreak must have seen my confusion, "I don't think he's quite got it, Babe. Maybe a demonstration would help Sparky." Richie blushed and shooed Hotstreak playfully. That's when the truth came out. I understood everything with just one word. Sparky. I looked at Richie coldly.

"You told him?" my blonde nodded, "Your with him?" another nod, "How long." Richie paused before holding up two fingers.

"Two weeks." I noticed the sleeve on his hoody had slipped a bit, and I could see the hand mark bruise. I knew what that meant all to well. I'd seen it on far to many people not to know. I nodded faintly and glanced at my watch. Perfect excuse.

"I have to go help Pops at the Center. I'll… see yah later, Rich. Take care of yourself." and I'd walked away. I was hurt, jealous, and mad. I couldn't believe Richie would do this to me! To us…

That was six months ago.

__

Cover up with makeup in the mirror  
tell yourself, it's never gonna happen again  
You cry alone and then he swears he loves you.

It was just a few weeks ago I saw how serious things were getting. Richie came over to spend the night, history test on Monday and all, when he emptied his backpack to find a pencil, I noticed the cover-up mirror. Sharon had one just like it, only hers was a dark red, not blue. When I reached for it, he snatched it before my fingers could even brush the case. I looked at him with a slightly hurt expression. Didn't he trust me any more. He threw on a joking grin, "Don't tell anyone I wear make-up. Francis has a bit of a fetish for guys dressed like girls. It's only every now and then." there wasn't any other make-up on the floor, just the compact.

I just grinned and laid down, "How's it going with you two anyway?" he blushes and seems to get nervous.

"It's fine. He's a little rough sometimes, but once we're alone he gets sweeter." I could now see the bruise through the make-up. Right under his left eye. I knew then I should have called Pops in and made Richie wash his face, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. Not when he seemed so happy.

The night was short, especially once Francis called. Richie had seemed flustered and scared all through out the call. Then he was gone and Sharon looked at me coldly, "If you really loved him, you get him some where that he's safe. Not with that Pyromaniac." I'd never seen her so bitter. I'd never had Adam glare at me like that either. Pops was left in the dark, but Sharon always knew Richie just as well as I did.

__

Do you feel like a man when you push her around?  
Do you feel better now as she falls to the ground?  
Well I'll tell you my friend, one day this world's going to end  
as your lies crumble down, a new life she has found.

A pebble in the water makes a ripple effect  
every action in this world will bear a consequence  
If you wade around forever, you will surely drown  
I see what's going down.

Patrol that night should have been easy. Except I couldn't get Richie's expression out of my mind. It was been a week, and I hadn't heard from him. Naturally I feared the worst and had been on the look out for him. He hadn't been home that night either.

As I swooped down to check the shopping district I noticed a familiar red-head talking with others of the old Breed. Ebon saw me first, "Hey, Hero. Come to arrest simple citizens." I ignored him for favor of Hotstreak.

"Hey, Hot-head." he looked at me, "Where's Ri-"

"Why do you care, Sparky? He's at home, he's where he needs to be and you can just leave it at that." I saw red and slammed him into the wall he was leaning on. The rest of the breed shrunk back.

"Don't think I'm stupid, Francis. I've seen the bruises, I've see how scared he is. Don't think that he's yours. I've owned him way longer." I knew this was respectful to Richie, but we were playing Alfa-male and I wasn't about to lose.

Talon covered her mouth and was pulled into Ebon's arms. Maria shrank back into Carmon and the others stared at Hotstreak coldly, "You're a little late, Sparks. Richie's mine. Get a clue, Kid, he wanted a man and he got it. It's his fault he doesn't want to listen." Hotstreak threw me off and walked away. Talon bit her lip and pulled a pen from her pocket.

"Static… I think I can help."

_I see the way you go and say you're right again,  
say you're right again  
Heed my lecture._

_Do you feel like a man when you push her around?  
Do you feel better now as she falls to the ground?  
Well I'll tell you my friend, one day this world's going to end  
as your lies crumble down, a new life she has..._

_One day she will tell you that she has had enough  
It's coming round again._

I don't remember how I found the apartment. I don't remember what was said, but I do remember what happened. Richie had been in the kitchen, it looked like he was cleaning a knife, or maybe washing his hands. I'm not sure, but I could see the bruises, and a few burns. My anger was slowly rising. Francis stepped into the kitchen and leaned on the door frame. He said something and Richie responded. The yelling started and Richie ended up pinned to the wall.

I could hear the crack of a fist on bone and I knew he'd been hit. I don't remember it, but the window broke open and Hotstreak was thrown into the hall. It was an all out brawl. Fire and electricity bouncing off the walls and off the two of us. I remember Richie yelling at us, then a huge blast of light and silence. I can remember that my jack was destroyed, my mask was gone and I had a bad burn on my arm. Francis was simply laying on the ground, still and out cold.

Then there were cops, and Richie had shoved me into the bathroom, told me to take a shower and clean up my burn. I did as told. When I came out, I kept the towel over my head and let the paramedic take care of the wound. She whispered a soft thank you into my ear and finished tending the wound. A cop was taking pictures of Richie's marks and another was asking questions.

"Is there anyone we can call for you?" Richie flinched and looked at me. I just waved my hand and the cop looked at me curiously.

"I've returned him home before. I'll take him and explain everything." the cop nodded and they seemed to vanish all at once. I took off the towel and looked at Richie who was grabbing his things and his backpack. I could only watch him. Francis had been taken away and would be put into custody immediately after waking. Richie turned to me and smiled faintly.

"It's like all those other times you've saved me." I didn't talk, I just stood and made my board. Richie caught on and climbed onto the disk with me. I slid my arms around his waist and his pulled me closer as the slid around my neck. The hole in the wall let us out into the city.

I got him home, exposed us to his parents, and got my lover to live with me all in one night. It was a magic moment when we got home. Sharon held Richie tight and didn't let go while Adam hit me lightly in the arm. Pops was informed and the night smoothed over into a simple bliss of laughter, play and a huge wrestling match between Adam and Richie. Oddly enough, Richie won. It was perfect.

_Do you feel like a man when you push her around?  
Do you feel better now as she falls to the ground?  
Well I'll tell you my friend, one day this world's going to end  
as your lies crumble down, a new life she has..._

_Face down in the dirt, she said,  
"This doesn't hurt", she said,  
"I finally had enough."_

It's been six months and three weeks since I learned Richie's biggest secret. It's been five hours since he learned mine. And now, as I lay with my new lover in my arms, I can only pray that soon I'll see his body without the marks of ownership on them. After all, Francis can never touch him again, not as long as he chooses to be mine.

"Virg?"

"Hm?"

"What are you thinking about?"

I smile and kiss his forehead, "Just how crazy you make me." Richie laughs lightly and pushes closer to me. I slide my hand down his bare back and trace his bare hip. Everything is falling into place, and sure enough, I was right. Richie was meant to be mine. Mine and no one else's.

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a/n: I'm happy with this story, please comment. Thank you for reading. (bow)


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